Ontario's takeover of 4 school boards reflects growing provincial role in education: expert

Ontario's decision to appoint supervisors to 4 much schoolhouse boards — including the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) — is portion of the government's ongoing bid to asseverate its ain imaginativeness of schooling, a argumentation and acquisition adept says.

Education Minister Paul Calandra announced the appointments last Friday, citing mismanagement, including structural fiscal issues, among the boards. 

But Sachin Maharaj, an adjunct prof of acquisition leadership, argumentation and programme valuation astatine the University of Ottawa, said the determination is "about overmuch much than conscionable fiscal and fund matters, and much astir the state trying to instrumentality nonstop power implicit schools successful Toronto." 

Maharaj pointed to other ways the state is trying to summation its power implicit schoolhouse boards, including its arguable measure that would bring constabulary officers backmost to nationalist schools. 

The supervisors began their enactment instantly aft they were appointed. Since schoolhouse boards run nether provincial legislation, Maharaj said it is improbable they tin artifact the supervisor appointments. 

"We're going to person to spot what the state intends to bash with this enhanced control," helium said in an interrogation with CBC Radio's Metro Morning on Monday.

CBC Toronto has reached retired to the Ministry of Education for comment. 

In summation to the TDSB, the state is appointing the supervisors to the Toronto Catholic District School Board (TCDSB), the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board and the Dufferin-Peel Catholic School Board.

This follows the government's determination successful April to spot the Thames Valley District School Board nether supervision.

CBC Toronto reached retired to the TDSB and TCDSB for comment. The TDSB referred questions to the Ministry of Education. 

A spokesperson for the Toronto Catholic District School Board referred CBC Toronto to an online assemblage update, successful which the committee says its "senior enactment squad volition enactment intimately with the Supervisor to minimize immoderate interaction connected students and schoolroom learning."

The update besides says the board's absorption "will stay connected what matters most: supporting pupil success."

Provinces crossed Canada seeking much control, adept says

Speaking astatine Friday's announcement, Calandra said "a broader rethink" of schoolhouse committee governance operation is required. 

"This is an important archetypal step," helium said. 

Ontario's actions are portion of a nationalist inclination of provinces asserting much power implicit nationalist education, Maharaj said. In Nova Scotia and Quebec, elected schoolhouse boards person been eliminated entirely, helium said. 

But helium said radical tin consciousness unheard if they nary longer person an elected schoolhouse committee typical who tin advocator connected their behalf. 

"Communities consciousness that they nary longer person a dependable successful the mode schools are run," helium said. 

In Ontario, past provincial takeovers of schoolhouse boards person typically lasted a fewer years earlier the committee was restored, Maharaj said. 

"But we tin spot from the existent Ministry of Education an appetite to remainder adjacent much powerfulness successful the hands of the province," helium said.